Program

The MSN in Quality, Safety and Risk Management in Healthcare prepares you to lead organizational efforts that improve and monitor quality metrics, improve safety for both patients and staff, and manage risks in a dynamic health care environment.
This interdisciplinary patient safety and health care quality master's program is designed for health care professionals seeking to develop essential competencies to assess, monitor, and improve health care outcomes in community-based care delivery settings, hospitals, and other health care organizations.

Program Mission, Vision and Values

• Mission: The mission of this program is to educate the next generation of leaders who will advance quality in healthcare. Through a focus on the core values of innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, data-driven decision making, inclusion, and equity, the program prepares students to influence change and improve care across the continuum. The current landscape in healthcare requires preparation for interdisciplinary collaboration to support optimal outcomes. The program’s curriculum provides students with interdisciplinary and experiential learning opportunities that support development of knowledge and skills needed to collaboratively solve complex issues in healthcare and improve outcomes.
• Vision: The QSRM program aspires to expand our national and international reputation as a leader in quality and patient safety education. The program aims to produce highly skilled, innovative individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to improve the quality and value of healthcare, preparing them to lead in a demanding and dynamic healthcare arena.
• Values: Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Innovation, Data-Driven Decision Making, Inclusion, Equity

Upon graduation, you will be able to:

• Apply a legal and ethical framework of health care delivery
• Further the role of the quality, safety, and risk management professional in the health care system through scholarship, clinical experience, and organizational involvement 
• Demonstrate critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning skills in decision-making
• Integrate multiple technologies and relevant theories into the organization and synthesis of health data to care for patients, families and communities
• Integrate culturally sensitive care that contributes to the health and wellness of the community
  Demonstrate leadership through the development of outcome-based standards of care and practice-based health policy issues
• Drive the quality and effectiveness of care based on current research findings, standards of care, and patient outcomes
• Contribute to the advancement of health care and humanity through communication, interprofessional collaboration and education

Graduation Rate

100% of QSRM graduates are employed upon graduation.

Program Competencies

The QSRM program has specific program competencies that are addressed throughout the curriculum. These competencies (listed below) align with specific course objectives and assignments. Students are expected to achieve a basic or intermediate level for the various competencies within the program. Students will be evaluated for competency attainment in the QSRM courses and given feedback from course faculty. At specific intervals throughout the program, students will also be required to reflect and self-assess on competency attainment. 

• Leadership (L)
• Human Factors (HF)
• Systems Thinking (ST)
• Interprofessional Collaboration (IC)
• Improvement Science and Quality Principles (ISQP)
• Communication (C)
• Professionalism (P)
• Safety and Error Science (SES)
• Improvement Science and Quality Principles (ISQP)
• Evidence Based Practice (EBP)
• Measurement and Process Evaluation (MPE)
• Health Informatics (HI)
• Legal and Regulatory Issues (LRI)
• Patient and Family-Centered Engagement (PFCE)

Program Features

• Designed for those interested in a career that will impact quality, safety and risk management in the healthcare industry
• Faculty who are current practicing experts in the fields of law, quality, patient safety, and risk management 
• Interdisciplinary structure, offering the opportunity to learn and work collaboratively as you would in practice
• Realistic virtual simulation experiences in our state-of-the-art simulation lab which allow you to apply principles learned throughout the program to realistic, high stakes, simulation activities

State restrictions may apply to some programs.

Academic Calendar

The academic year in the College of Nursing and Health Professions is based on a quarter system. Students should refer to the Drexel University Academic Quarter Calendar

Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Methods

Our online program leverages innovative teaching and learning methods to support competency-based education including interactive video discussions that immerse students in real-world scenarios, recorded lectures, facilitated discussions that encourage collaborative learning and critical thinking, and integration of multimedia resources to support diverse learning styles and foster a community of inquiry and shared knowledge. 

Assessment methods include performance-based assignments, such as case studies, papers and projects. These methods are complemented by formative assessments to provide ongoing feedback, summative assessments to validate competency attainment and a cumulative virtual case-based simulation experience where students can apply what they’ve learned throughout the program.  By aligning all learning activities with clearly defined competencies, the program ensures students develop the skills and knowledge required to succeed in their field.

Grading Policies

Residency

• Mandatory 2 Day Virtual Residency

COMPLIANCE

The College of Nursing and Health Professions has a compliance process that may be required for every student. Some of these steps may take significant time to complete. Please plan accordingly.

Visit the Compliance pages for more information.

Application Deadline

August 26, 2024

Admission Criteria

• A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university
• For nurses pursuing an MSN: BSN degrees must be from an institution accredited by CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education), ACEN (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing) or NLN CNEA (NLN Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation).
• Nurses with a non-nursing BS may consider applying for the RN-BSN-MSN program (coming soon) to earn both a BSN and MSN concurrently.
• GPA of 3.0 or above on all previous coursework or last 60 credits completed. Applications with a lower GPA may be considered on individual basis
• While specific experience is not required for applicants to the track, previous related work experience may make an applicant more competitive.

Required Documents

With multiple ways to submit documents, Drexel makes it easy to complete your application. Learn more by visiting our supporting document submission guide.

• A completed application
• Official transcripts from all universities or colleges and other post-secondary educational institutions (including trade schools) attended
• Two professional references required from previous or current supervisors, managers, faculty members or program directors who can attest to applicant's knowledge, skill, and potential aptitude for graduate study. References will not be accepted from colleagues or family members.
  
  • Letters must include the address, phone number, and signature of your recommender
  • Letters of recommendations are waived for students with a 3.0 GPA or higher
• Personal statement (no more than two pages and no less than one page double-spaced) that will give the admissions committee a better understanding of the following:
  • Why you are choosing this particular program of study
  • Your plans upon completion of the certificate
  • How your current work experience will enhance your experience in this program
• Curriculum vitae or resume
• Copy of your current U.S. Registered Nurse license
• Additional requirements for International Students

An admissions interview may be required

Tuition: Information on Tuition can be found here.

Curriculum

This program is organized into four 10-week quarters per year (as opposed to the traditional two-semester system) which means you can take more courses in a shorter time period. One semester credit is equivalent to 1.5 quarter credits.

Graduate students who utilize student loans (FAFSA) must maintain a minimum enrollment of 4.5 credits per term.

For Full List of courses, please visit Drexel Online.

Accreditation

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program and post-graduate APRN certificate program at Drexel University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington DC 20001, 202.887-6791.

The QSRM MSN program is certified by The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). CAHME serves the public by advancing the quality of healthcare management education globally. CAHME is an interdisciplinary group of educational, professional, clinical, and other health sector organizations devoted to quality improvement of education for healthcare management and administration professionals.

Program Goals

• Prepare professionals to advocate for equity, quality, and safety in healthcare through professional service and the dissemination of evidence-based best practices
• Develop professionals who are able to advance the field of Quality and Safety by integrating evidence, legal and ethical standards into outcome-based care through leadership, communication, collaboration, and education.
• Prepare professionals that advance the field of Quality and Safety through scholarship and lead healthcare improvement initiatives to improve quality and effectiveness based on current research findings, standards of care and patient outcomes.

Program Outcomes

• Practices within a legal and ethical framework of health care delivery.
• Advances the role of advanced nursing practice in the health care system through scholarship, clinical experience and political involvement.
• Demonstrates critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning skills in clinical decision-making.
• Integrates multiple technologies and relevant theories into the organization and synthesis of health data required to develop plans of care for patients, families and communities.
• Integrates culturally sensitive health promotion activities that contribute to the health and wellness of the community into clinical practice.
• Demonstrates leadership in nursing and health care through involvement in the development of outcome-based standards of care and practice-based health policy issues.
• Evaluates and modify the quality and effectiveness of clinical practice based on current research findings, standards of care and patient outcomes.
• Contributes to the advancement of nursing, health care and humanity through communication, collaboration and education.

Nursing Program Mission and Values

The Nursing program faculty and staff are committed to educating nurses to embrace both the art and science of nursing, to integrate caring into practice, to think critically and practice competently, compassionately and safely in complex rapidly changing practice environments. The Nursing program supports administrators, faculty, staff and students in developing holistic evidence-based programs, which create healing and caring environments at all levels that reflect innovative education, interdisciplinary practice and research.

The highest goals of the program include demonstrating efficacy, quality and cost-effectiveness of evidence-based nursing interventions in promoting health, preventing disease, preserving human dignity, reducing health disparities and caring for the sick and injured.

All efforts in the Nursing program are designed to build nursing knowledge, enhance nursing practice, foster professional integrity, promote innovation, engage in interdisciplinary collaboration and ultimately improve the health outcomes of patients and families from diverse communities across the continuum of care.

The Nursing program is committed to excellence in nursing education through educational programs that are:

• Authentic: We value a deep connection to others, appreciation of diverse opinions and respect for the other’s frame of reference. We value going beyond objective assessment to understand the context of the other, creative use of self and engagement in the artistry of the caring-healing process—the essence of Nursing.
• Complex: We value complexity science by recognizing that our Nursing program is a complex, dynamic, unpredictable, emerging, self-organizing and adaptive system that cannot be reduced to the sum of its members. As such, we seek that administrators, faculty, staff and students develop skills to improvise, build on the innovations of others, develop positive interpersonal interactions, appreciate the reciprocity that our actions have on the larger system and ourselves and embrace surprise as an opportunity to learn, make sense of our dynamic reality and make a positive impact on the health of our clients.
• Rigorous: We continuously review and redesign programs, courses, technology-infused learning systems and educational products for depth and quality with the learner's experience and background in mind.
• Relevant: We continuously examine changing market forces, the progression of nursing knowledge and the best practices in health care and education to redesign educational programs. There is a strong commitment to population-focused care practice in diverse communities; therefore, we strive to ensure clinically relevant education and simulation experiences. Our faculty serves as excellent role models for developing clinicians.
• State of the Art: We value the use of technological innovation and patient simulation scenarios which foster advanced and evidence-based interdisciplinary communication and teamwork, multiple patient management and crisis resource management skills, provision of culturally relevant care, decreased prevalence of errors and adverse events and a higher intellectual standard in both undergraduate and graduate nursing education.
• Learner-Friendly: In consideration of the demanding, fast-paced lives of our students and nurse consumers, we offer high-quality educational programs in convenient and contemporary formats, including access to academic online courses with attention to user-friendly interfaces as well as resources to enhance academic success. In addition, the College of Nursing and Health Professions is committed to being a challenging and rewarding work environment for faculty, staff and administrators. Information and data on all aspects of the college’s operations are widely shared with faculty, staff and students and all are encouraged to participate in its decisions and activities.